Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Princes set to be kept apart
THE Queen has ordered that
Prince Harry and Prince William be separated tomorrow when they walk behind their grandfather Prince Philip’s coffin.
The brothers will not stand “shoulder to shoulder”, albeit socially distanced, but will have their cousin Peter Phillips in between them.
The Duke of Sussex will come face to face with his family for the first time in more than a year, just weeks after he and wife Meghan’s explosive interview with US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey.
Royal sources have confirmed a “deep rift” had developed between the two brothers before Harry’s decision to leave The Firm but was exacerbated by the Sussexes’ TV allegations.
The Queen signed off “each and every detail” of the funeral plans and insisted that nothing “detract from what the day is about, commemorating the extraordinary life of her husband”, sources said.
The revised plans included the order of procession and what dress code would be required for the occasion.
Prince Andrew had suggested he would wear an Admiral’s uniform to the funeral, while Harry would have been prevented from wearing any military dress after he was stripped of his honorary titles following his stepping back from royal life.
A source said: “As with everything to do with the planning of the Duke’s funeral, the Queen has decided on each and every detail, right down to the order of procession and making sure even in the current circumstances Prince Philip’s wishes are carried out as much as possible.
“The family are united in their grief for the loss of a muchloved father, grandfather and family member and are determined to give the Duke a proper send off.” The dramatic walk will draw echoes of William and Harry solemnly marching behind their mother’s coffin after her tragic death in 1997.
It was the Duke of Edinburgh who brought them together on that day after telling William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, “If you will, I will.”
The brothers walked with their heads bowed alongside their father, their uncle and Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, and Prince Philip.
Harry has been self-isolating at Frogmore Cottage, where he lived with Meghan before they left the UK for California.
He is expected to rush home as soon as he is able once his quarantine ends.